The core objective of forensic DNA typing is developing DNA profiles from biological evidence for personal identification. The present study was designed to check the validation of the IrisPlex system and the Prevalence of eye colour in the Pakhtoon population residing within the Malakand Division. Methods: Eye colour digital photographs and buccal swab samples of 893 individuals of different age groups were collected. Multiplexed SNaPshot single base extension chemistry was used, and the genotypic results were analysed. Snapshot data were used for eye colour prediction through the IrisPlex and FROG-kb tool. Results: The results of the present study found brown eye colour to be the most prevalent eye colour in comparison to intermediate and blue coloured. Overall, individuals with brown-coloured eyes possess CT (46.84%) and TT (53.16%) genotypes. Blue eye-coloured individuals are solely of the CC genotype, while individuals of intermediate eye colour carry CT (45.15%) and CC (53.85%) genotypes in rs12913832 SNP in the HERC2 gene. It was also revealed that brown-coloured eyes individuals were dominant among all age groups followed by intermediate and blue. Statistical analysis between particular variables and eye colour showed a significant p-value (<0.05) for rs16891982 SNP in SLC45A2 gene, rs12913832 SNP in HERC2 gene, rs1393350 SNP in SLC45A2, districts and gender. The rest of the SNPs were non-significant with eye colour, respectively. The rs12896399 SNP and SNP rs1800407 were found significant with rs16891982 SNP. The result also demonstrated that the study group differs from the world population based on eye colour. The two eye colour prediction results were compared, and it was discovered that IrisPlex and FROG-Kb had similar higher prediction ratios for Brown and Blue eye colour. Conclusions: The results of the current study revealed brown eye colour to be the most prevalent amongst members of the local population of Pakhtoon ethnicity in the Malakand Division of northern Pakistan. A set of contemporary human DNA samples with known phenotypes are used in this research to evaluate the custom panel’s prediction accuracy. With the aid of this forensic test, DNA typing can be supplemented with details about the appearance of the person from whom the sample was taken in cases involving missing persons, ancient human remains, and trace samples. This study may be helpful for future population genetics and forensics studies.

Plasmodium vivax is the most common human malaria parasite in Asian countries including Pakistan. Present study was designed to explore the genetic diversity of plasmodium vivax genotypes based on Pvmsp-3α and Pvmsp-3βgenes using allelic specific nested PCR and RFLP assays markers from field isolates in district Mardan, Pakistan. Blood samples of 200 P. vivax malarial patients were collected after taking their written informed consent. Genetic diversity in nested PCR products was determined by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) utilizing Alu1 and PstI restriction enzymes for alpha and beta gene products digestion, respectively. For analysis the genetic diversity of the sub allelic variants of Pvmsp3α and Pvmsp3β genes, Chi-Square test was performed by utilizing Minitab programming software 18. The P value 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. For Pvmsp-3α genes after gel electrophoresis of digested products, four distinct genotypes were obtained from total of 50 samples; type A: 35 (70%) (1.5-2.0 kb), 12 of type B (24%) (1.5-1.7 kb), 2 of type C (4%) (0.5-1.5) and one for type D (2%) (0.5-0.65 kb) which could be characterized into 9 allelic pattern (A1-A4, B1-B3, C1, D), in which A3 remained the most predominant. For Pvmsp-3βgenes, three distinct genotypes were obtained from 50 samples; 40(80%) of type A (1.5-2.5 kb), 9 (18%) of type B (1.0-1.5kb) and 1(2%) of type C (0.65 kb) which could be characterized into 6 allelic patterns (A1-A3, B1-B2, and C1). Most dominant one in Type A was A1 alleles which were noted (46%), while in Type B, the most dominant were B1 (10%).This study is the first ever report of molecular epidemiology and genetic variation in Pvmsp-3α and Pvmsp-3β genes of P. vivax isolates by using PCR/RFLP from District Mardan and showed a remarkable level of genetic diversity in the studied genes of circulating parasites in the study area. The results of this study will contribute in future studies about the genetic structure of parasite and vaccine development against the malaria.

Background: Sugarcane (Saccharum derived) is an important commercially harvested crop in all parts of the world including tropical and subtropical areas. Saccharum hybrid is the tall perennial true grasses with sweet stalk rich in sucrose and it is the main source of sugar.Methods: Initially, 23 genes differentially expressed during cold stress in other Andropogoneae tribe members were retrieved from NCBI GenBank and were investigated in the genome of selected sugarcane and Saccharum spontaneum L. Samples. Their presence in our samples was analyzed and confirmed through PCR and Agarose Gel Electrophoresis (AGE).Results: Most of these (COR) genes (21/23) were confirmed in cold tolerant cultivars namely, SPSG-394, CP-851491 and Saccharum spontaneum L. while the least number of genes was observed in cold sensitive cultivar namely, CP-77400. Moreover 10 cold responsive genes, namely CBF1, CBF2, CBF3, COR 6.6, COR 78, COR 47, WCOR 80, WCOR14, C17 and 85KDA were sent for sequencing. Nucleotide sequences analysis of selected genes revealed the homology to stress responsive protein. Furthermore, during a conserved domain search, three conserved domains had been detected, namely gypsy transposon, zinc binding for reverse transcriptase and pepsin like aspartate proteases.Conclusion: The analysis of cold responsive genes in sugarcane could help breeders to select cold tolerant sugarcane cultivars through PCR amplification.Keywords: NCBI; Sugarcane; COR genes; Conserved domainEditorial Expression of Concern20 June 2025: Following publication of this paper, the internal audit (consequent to concerns on quality raised by Web of Science) notified Advancements in Life Sciences about suspected plagiarism. By this Editorial Expression of Concern, we alert the scientific community of the errors as we reconcile the records.Editorial Note25 June 2025: While rerunning the Turnitin originality analysis, a similarity index of 34% was found for this article (21% from a single source). Editorial board of Advancements in Life Sciences has started the process of retracting this article due to the above post-publication findings. The process shall be concluded after registering responses from the authors. Meanwhile, full text of the article shall remain unavailable for citations (this notice has been updated following insights derived from relevant COPE cases and the industry standards). Show of cause notice has also been issued to the concerned editorial team member.Retraction Note20 July 2025: The Editor-in-Chief, upon the recommendation of the Inquiry Team, has retracted this article due to plagiarism. An internal audit revealed that several articles, including this one, exhibited a high similarity index without proper disclosure or attribution by the authors. This constitutes a breach of the journal’s editorial policy, and the article is therefore being retracted.The authors do not agree to this retraction.

Sex identification is considered an important step in the field of forensic sciences, wildlife and livestock breeding management. In the current experiment we used Amelogenin gene as a biological marker for polymerase chain reaction test to identify the sex of cattle from blood remnants, collected at slaughter house. Due to the conserved region of the gene on both sex chromosomes (X and Y) a single primers pair was employed to amplify the gene in a single polymerase chain reaction. In case of band patterns, a 178 base pair fragment for AMELY and a 241 base pair fragment for AMELX genes were produced. The primer’s competence and exactness was initially checked on known gender cattle samples and then applied to unknown cattle samples for the validation of the experiment. PCR amplicons of unknown gender showed only one band (241-bp) for female DNA and two bands (241-bp, 178-bp) for male DNA, on the platform of agarose gel upon electrophoresis. Our findings showed that the PCR protocol based on AMELX/Y gene is a reliable technique for the identification of cattle sex.

Introduction: Thalassemia is a set of inherited disorder caused by a partial or complete mutation in one or more chain of the globin genes. Beta Thalassemia is the most common genetic disorder throughout the world including in Pakistan. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of parents of the children suffering from Thalassemia with regards to disease prevention. It also determined the degree of social and religious opposition faced by these parents during implementation of preventive practices Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in district Swat, KP, via three regional thalassemia centers. Total of 200 parents of Thalassemia were interviewed using a pre-designed pre-tested structured questionnaire. All statistical analyses were conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS 23.0) Results: Out of the total participants, male parents were (67.7%), while females were (32.3%). A total of responses were gathered, and analyzed. Most respondents had adequate knowledge positive attitude towards thalassemia. Age, education, gender, and family income were key factors that correlated with or predicted the youth’s KAP towards thalassemia. Older respondents and women were more likely to have good KAP. 77.5% of parents opted for prenatal diagnosis, and 77% opted for termination of the affected fetus. Among these individuals, 7.5% faced opposition from their family members when they went for diagnostic testing, and this opposition rose to 18.5% when they had to opt for termination. The local religious clerics opposed prenatal diagnosis in 3.5% of the cases and termination in 4% of the cases. Conclusions: When compared to previous studies, the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of our study population were better. Thus, population screening programs have a positive impact on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of careers of thalassemia patients. However, social and religious opposition needs to be countered for further implementation of effective preventive practices.

The Begomovirus genus of the family Geminiviridae comprises the largest group of geminiviruses. Begomoviruses are transmitted by the whitefly complex (Bemisia tabaci) and infect dicotyledonous plants in tropical and subtropical regions. The list of begomoviruses is continuously increasing as a result of improvements in the methods for identification, especially from weed plants, which are considered a source of new viruses and reservoirs of economically important viruses but are often neglected during diversity studies. Lathyrus aphaca L. weed plants (yellow-flowered pea) with varicose veins and discoloration of the leaves were found. Amplified genomic DNA through rolling circular amplification was subjected to PCR analysis for the detection of the viral genome and associated DNA-satellites (alphasatellites and betasatellites). A full-length sequence (2.8 kb) of a monopartite begomovirus clone was determined; however, we could not find any associated DNA satellites. The amplified full-length clone of Rose leaf curl virus (RoLCuV) reserved all the characteristics and features of an Old World (OW) monopartite begomovirus. Furthermore, it is the first time it has been reported from a new weed host, yellow-flowered pea. Rolling circle amplification and polymerase chain reaction analysis of associated DNA satellites, alphasatellite, and betasatellite, were frequently accomplished but unable to amplify from the begomovirus-infected samples, indicating the presence of only monopartite Old World begomovirus. It is observed that RoLCuV has the capability to infect different hosts individually without the assistance of any DNA satellite component. Recombination in viruses is also a source of begomovirus infection in different hosts.